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The Establishment: And how they get away with it Copertina flessibile – 1 marzo 2015
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THE PHENOMENAL BESTSELLER
'Fantastic, timely, eye-opening' Armando Iannucci, New Statesman, Books of the Year
'Captures a collective sense of anger and awakening' Matt Haig, Observer, Books of the Year
Behind our democracy lurks a powerful but unaccountable network of people who wield massive power and reap huge profits in the process. In exposing this shadowy and complex system that dominates our lives, Owen Jones sets out on a journey into the heart of our Establishment, from the lobbies of Westminster to the newsrooms, boardrooms and trading rooms of Fleet Street and the City. Exposing the revolving doors that link these worlds, and the vested interests that bind them together, Jones shows how, in claiming to work on our behalf, the people at the top are doing precisely the opposite. In fact, they represent the biggest threat to our democracy today - and it is time they were challenged.
'A book of revelations ... The Establishment have stitched it up - stitched you up - and they know it' Danny Dorling, Times Higher Education Supplement
'A dissection of the profoundly and sickeningly corrupt state that is present-day Britain. He is a fine writer, and this is a truly necessary book' Philip Pullman
'Owen Jones is a phenomenon of our times' David Kynaston, The Times Literary Supplement
'You will be enlightened and angry' Irvine Welsh
- Lunghezza stampa384 pagine
- LinguaInglese
- EditorePenguin
- Data di pubblicazione1 marzo 2015
- Dimensioni12.7 x 2.29 x 19.81 cm
- ISBN-100141974990
- ISBN-13978-0141974996
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Recensione
I'll never look at UK class politics in the same way after Owen Jones's bracing and principled The Establishment -- Naomi Klein ― Guardian Books of the Year
I am delighted to see social class storm its way back into our contemporary history: Owen Jones's The Establishment offers a well-documented as well as searing critique of the groupthink that binds together our rulers -- David Kynaston ― Guardian Books of the Year
This is the most important book on the real politics of the UK in my lifetime, and the only one you will ever need to read. You will be enlightened and angry -- Irvine Welsh
Owen Jones displays a powerful combination of cool analysis and fiery anger in this dissection of the profoundly and sickeningly corrupt state that is present-day Britain. He is a fine writer, and this is a truly necessary book -- Philip Pullman
Thorough and admirably vivid ... he is excellent on how the state has become a creature of capital, controlled by the corporate sector. As Jones shows, British capitalism is highly dependent on state largesse and rich corporations are the biggest scroungers of all ― New Statesman
Powerful . . . The book's great strength lies in the simple power of accumulation. Again and again, Jones connects the dots in parallel lines, so that the single examples that might in themselves be dismissed as circumstantial or overblown become more or less unanswerable . . . He is a writer of real rhetorical force ― Independent
A passionate account of political and economic injustice ― Observer
A book of revelations... The last time the British Establishment was so intertwined, so arrogant and so powerful was a century ago, and the last democratic revolution that redistributed wealth took a lifetime to play out -- Danny Dorling ― Times Higher Education
An important book ... a systematic critique of the various political, corporate and economic institutions that seek to consolidate the interests of the few at the expense of the many ... Jones has the establishment clutching at their little golden straws ... It is not an easy road, Jones argues, but if we show strength and solidarity - perhaps adding a little common sense - we can reinstate true democracy and thus prioritize the needs of the many ― Huffington Post
The breadth of Jones' research is impressive ... the chapter on the recent history of ideas is fascinating ... the sections on corporate tax-avoidance, the lobbying industry and the sell-off of the NHS ought to have genuine British taxpayers spitting with rage. Jones ultimately sees his Establishment not as the guardians of British values but as a threat to them -- Richard Godwin ― Evening Standard
In many respects, Owen Jones is the best thing to happen to the non-compromised, non-New Labour left in the mainstream media in decades ... On the post-1979 'establishment' Jones is very strong indeed -- Owen Hatherley ― London Review of Books
Owen Jones is a phenomenon of our times ... He asks some familiar questions, but with a compelling urgency ... he is systematically interested in the underlying mentality, and not just the behaviour, of his subjects, giving his study a refreshing and crucial extra dimension ― Times Literary Supplement
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Dettagli prodotto
- Editore : Penguin; 1° edizione (1 marzo 2015)
- Lingua : Inglese
- Copertina flessibile : 384 pagine
- ISBN-10 : 0141974990
- ISBN-13 : 978-0141974996
- Peso articolo : 281 g
- Dimensioni : 12.7 x 2.29 x 19.81 cm
- Posizione nella classifica Bestseller di Amazon: n. 299 in Enciclopedie per ragazzi
- n. 536 in Enciclopedie per bambini (Libri)
- n. 5,270 in Strutture e processi politici (Libri)
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n The Establishment, Owen Jones starts by defining Britain’s Establishment today. Then Jones looks back at political history to how the modern day Establishment of Britain came to be, focusing on each facet, in chapters titled: The Outriders, The Westminster Cartel, Mediaocracy, The Boys in Blue, Scrounging off the State, Tycoons and Tax-Dodgers, Masters of the Universe and The Illusion of Sovereignty.
In ‘The Outriders’ Jones explains how a few wealthy elite changed societies view (the ‘Overton Window’) from one of socialism to capitalism, the free market and privatisation. Jones demonstrates how people with alternative views to The Establishment are silenced, discredited or have their lives destroyed for speaking out.
In ‘The Westminster Cartel’ Jones exposes the revolving door of MPs going back and forth between Politics, Business, the Media and Think Tanks. In ‘Mediaocracy’ Jones reveals the media’s role in propaganda both for governments and against, with the media’s agenda being those of their wealthy owners – whom have close-links with MPs from all political parties.
In ‘The Boys in Blue’ Jones describes the role the Police played in creating today’s Establishment and gives examples of Police corruption and cover ups. He explains how the Establishment eventually turned on the Police. Jones gives real examples of the inequality of Police treatment between different groups, which includes the difference in treatment between those with power and those without.
Jones writes about the real people ‘Scrounging off the State’: the wealthy elite. He writes that public assets, such as the railways, are being and have been sold off for profit. That the wealthy elite get the profits, as well as tax-payer subsidies (as well as benefits for employees on low wages, healthcare for their employees, employees educated by the state, etc.) but that the tax-payer shoulders all the risk. If something goes wrong – like it did with the Banks, big business relies on the State to step in and bail them out.
In ‘Tycoons and Tax-Dodgers’ Jones explains how the rich feel that they pay enough tax and sheds light on the complicated tax avoidance schemes used by big businesses, that are all perfectly legal – thanks to the big businesses’ Lobbyists, Accountants and PR firms. Jones exposes the toxic relationship between the Treasury and big companies. That big companies actually help to develop Tax Policy with Treasury Civil Servants and the Government.
In ‘Masters of the Universe’ Jones examines the financial sector, particularly ‘the City’ referring to London’s financial sector. Jones discusses how successive governments relaxed regulation to keep their Banker friend’s happy prior to the financial collapse in 2008. That despite the collapse and the tax-payer bailout to the tune of over a trillion pounds, there is still no real robust regulation and there’s an attitude of continue as before. That the financial sector is driven by an unregulated greed for profit, a big bonus culture and to increase the wealth of the already extremely wealthy.
In ‘The Illusion of Sovereignty’ Jones scrutinises the relationship between Britain’s Establishment, the United States of America (US) and European Union (EU). He shows that the Establishment’s mentality is international and shared with the US, by looking at the history of the ‘special relationship’. Jones looks at the history of the Britain and the EU, identifying some elements of the EU that share the British Establishment’s mentality and other elements that oppose the British Establishment’s mentality. This mix of shared and opposed views to the British Establishment, is most likely why there is a politically mixed view of the EU in the UK.
In Jones’ final chapter titled ‘Conclusion: A Democratic Revolution’ he states that the Establishment is being run for a wealthy few, rather than for the majority. He states that the majority have had enough; enough of falling living standards, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, and that the time to challenge the Establishment is now. Jones states that austerity is ideological rather than required. He identifies changes to improve society, but gives little practical advice for readers who may want to get involved with political change. This chapter was also the shortest in the book, which was a slight disappointment.
Throughout The Establishment, Owen Jones references the points that he makes, shares interviews he has conducted with people who have been involved with creating and maintaining the Establishment and gives examples to illustrate his points.
The Establishment shows the shocking level of corruption and vested interests, along with laws that protect the wealthy elite – all created by The Establishment (the wealthy elite) to balance society in their favour. It will make you think. Hopefully by Jones shining a light on the murky Establishment it will lead to the people challenging The Establishment for the political change they want.
The Establishment is an excellent and informative book about how society has come to operate today for the minority and how it can be changed to operate for the majority. The Establishment is an essential read for all, especially those interested in politics or political change.
Review soon,
Antony
Jones deals with the key elements of the establishment (mainstream political parties, think tanks, the media, the police force), and one of his key themes is the revolving door between these different elements, with key players moving from one to another and sometimes back again.
I found the history lesson in chapter one particularly interesting, about how an initially tiny number of, at the time, ‘ideological pariahs’: free-market thinkers who believed that the social-democratic consensus which characterised the decades after the Second World War (involving for example considerable state intervention in the economy, a 75% top rate of income tax and public ownership of key industries and utilities) was misguided and set out to reverse this ‘socialist ratchet’. In the 1970s, many free-market think tanks were founded, these developed and disseminated ideas that would later become not only the cornerstones of Thatcherism, but moreover a new ‘common sense’.
In later chapters, Jones turns on its head the notion that we now live in a society of truly free market capitalism: ‘British capitalism is completely dependent on the largesse of the state’ and ‘free-market ideology is often little more than a front for placing public assets in private hands at the expense of society’. The state provides the infrastructure without which companies simply could not function, gives massive subsidies to business, tops up low wages and spends £24 billion per year on housing benefit, much of which goes to private landlords (among whom can be found a number of MPs). Interestingly, Jones makes the point that it is not only left-wingers who are critical of this ‘socialism for the rich’; libertarian right-wingers acknowledge it too and in the course of his research Jones spoke to Douglas Carswell (now UKIP’s sole MP). Yet it is poorer members of society receiving social security benefits who are widely portrayed by the mainstream media and many politicians as ‘scroungers’, as a drain on the hard-working taxpayer.
Jones also discusses corporate tax avoidance, as well as Britain’s financial sector, the background to the 2008 financial collapse and the subsequent state bailout of the banks, which of course lends support to his claim that ‘Risk and debt have become nationalized, and carried by the population, while the profitable elements are privatized’.
There is loads that I could write about this book, but I haven’t got time to and anyway it’s best to read it for yourself. I do not know how useful this book would be for those seeking a really academic study of ‘the establishment’, but I’m pretty sure that this is not Owen Jones’ target audience. ‘The Establishment’ is an absolute ‘must have’ for the general reader who has an interest in politics or society, or for anyone who simply wonders why their opinions don’t seem to be represented by mainstream politicians (maybe this will change now that someone from outside ‘the establishment’ has been elected Labour leader!). I think the book needed better editing but my only other criticism would be that, in my opinion, Jones is too hard on the police; although mentioning at the start of chapter four that the police keep members of the public safe, sometimes by placing themselves in danger (and indeed providing a short anecdote in support of this from the chairman of the Police Federation), he does not give sufficient weight to this and to the fact that by far the majority of individual police officers are just ‘ordinary’ men and women trying to do the best job they possibly can in circumstances that are frequently challenging. Other than this, I can’t recommend this book highly enough – thanks so much Owen Jones for letting us know what’s really going on!
I don’t necessarily agree with all his conclusions, either. Reimposing monetary controls, for example, doesn't exactly strike me as a vote winner. There were also some aspects of the writing/editing which I felt distracted from the overall clarity of the message somewhat. I found the introduction quite boring. It felt repetitive, it went on far too long and there was too much discussion of what the implications of various possible outcomes of the 2015 election might be. As I was reading the book in 2020 I didn’t find that particularly interesting. Fortunately the book itself was much more interesting than the introduction.
I didn’t like the fact that he appeared to be talking in fairly glowing terms of both Tom Watson and what he referred to as the ‘Libertarian Conservative MP Douglas Carswell’. Both are people that I deeply despise. Douglas Carswell was a UKIP MP, part of a racist party that had close links with ‘Tommy Robinson’ and other similar dregs of society. Tom Watson did his best to undermine Jeremy Corbyn in any way whatsoever at every possible opportunity, so as far as I’m concerned he’s typical of politicians that are only interested in gaining power and then holding onto it. He appeared to view Jeremy Corbyn as unelectable, so did everything possible to hasten his demise.
There were also quite a few cases of words which should have an S in them, such as ‘demonisation’, which had the S changed to a Z and became ‘demonization’. Owen Jones is English (despite having a Welsh-sounding name), he’s not American. As demonisation seems to be one of his favourite words, this soon became quite tedious. They appear to be so keen on inserting Zs where there should be an S that they even invented a completely new word, ‘metamorphosizing’! Clearly they couldn’t bear to use the correct word, metamorphosing, presumably because they wouldn’t be able to change the S to a Z. There were also various phrases cropping up so often that it soon became a little wearing. One example would be: ‘The media and political elites are frequently deeply intertwined’. So I wouldn’t say that it was a well-written book, which possibly detracted on occasion from the overall message that it was trying to convey.
However, I believe that most people will find this an interesting read, even though they won’t necessarily agree with all the conclusions, so I would recommend it and give a rating of four stars.
Thankfully this wasn’t to be. What Owen Jones has written is a well-researched critique into the reality of living in Britain today. His deconstruction of the ruling elite of the United Kingdom is both fascinating and instructive. There is nothing really new here from the point of revelations but to have the connections between the different strata’s of British society and the inequality that comes from not being one of the few at the top is a stark lesson in privilege and arrogance.
Each chapter in the book deals with a different element of the establishment from the politicians in Westminster and the bankers in the City to the media barons that shape policy in this country to their needs and the police who operate in subtly different ways depending on your status in society. They are a study in hypocrisy and a form of behaviour that is damaging the UK on any number of levels.
I would draw issue with a number of things that Owen Jones says in his book. Not because of what he says but because there are a number of different reasons that these situations could have been reached that are not down to any kind of establishment plot. A case in point would be that he draws the attention to the fact that there is now an over-representation of the professional classes within parliament and that the voice of the working classes is no longer getting heard. But whilst he points this out what he doesn’t say is whether the reason for this is because the parties are selecting their MP’s to weigh it in such a way as to favour the professional classes (possible) or whether this is because the MP’s from the working class backgrounds have either failed to hold their seat or have not been elected in the first place (also possible) come election time. To be fair there is going to be a bit of both in the answer, I think, but Owen Jones does not make this clear. There are other examples in this book but this was the first. I find this frustrating as this is such a well-researched book that to leave things like this hanging means that it is not always possible to get a true picture of what is happening, at least from the perspective of where Owen Jones is coming from.
That having been said, the chapters on the banking sector and the practice of tax-evasion make you very angry and want to scream out for the reform of both the financial services industry and the tax code in this country.
This is one of those rare books that can actually help shape and change a debate which is already ongoing. Russell Brand describes Owen Jones as this generation’s George Orwell. I would disagree, Owen Jones is an outstanding investigative journalist, easily one of the best if not the best in the country, but he is not the polemicist that Orwell was. Whilst Jones has a skill for placing facts in front of a reader and putting them in to a context that illustrates the stark effects on society, I think he lacks the raw anger and moral indignation that framed so much of Orwell’s work. This may change over time but for now Owen Jones has some way to go before he can be spoken of in the same sentence.
As for the book? It is easily the most coherent and well-argued case for far reaching change in our society to have been published in years and should be read by everybody who wants to see how this country really works. Unfortunately the lack of clarity in some of his arguments mean that you can feel a little short-changed in some places and this is frustrating. For that reason I’m giving it 4 stars.
This book is a triumph. Jones is one of the best modern journalists, he has courage, insight, and the ability to marshal a massive array of facts in different areas with relevance and perspective. This book has the insight and reach of work by colleagues like Nicholas Shaxson and Lutz Kleveman, but in this case his talents focus on all aspects of public life in one country, and have a particular impact for that reason.
His book is divided into chapters on different areas of public life, and he makes the following points:
1) Westminster is dominated by a lobbying culture. Many MPs are deeply influenced by lobbyists employed by large corporations. These lobbyists influence the way they vote and indeed how they draw up policies, and in many cases then offer them jobs. Jones says: `46% if top fifty publicly traded firms in the Uk had a member of the British political elite as either a director or a shareholder....The corporate-legislative connection in Great Britain was an astonishing six times stronger than the Western European average, and ten times higher than in the Nordic states'.
2) It is extremely hard these days to become a journalist unless you have private money. The result? Nearly all journalists are well-off sons and daughters of the establishment with little or no understanding of or empathy with the masses of the population. Newspaper owners have inordinate influence on government policy.
3) Mrs. Thatcher gave the police a 45% pay rise at the beginning of her reign to ensure their loyalty as she smashed the unions. Now there is little or no organised opposition to the Establishment it no longer needs the police and so their salaries and loyalty are dropping.
4) Yes we do have scroungers off the state and they are called big business. We all know we bailed out the banks, but the state which free marketeers pretend to deride actually finances them in subsidies every time they scrape their knee. Jones gives many examples, especially in the rail industry.
5) Jones details how massively rich accountancy firms first of all are roped in by the civil service to help them draft tax laws and then advise their international corporation clients how to dodge the laws, adopting the most fantastical structures of smoke and mirrors to avoid tax, costing countless billions to Westminster.
6) 12 times as many bankers were paid £1 million bonuses in 2012 as in any other EU country.
7) Jones discusses the way the UK is in hock to the USA, notably with the Extradition Treaty of 2003, and to Europe as regards free market legislation pertaining there as well as in the UK.
Many other reviewers have criticised Jones for not offering solutions.
This is unfair. In fact he offers a detailed list of proposals, most of which make a lot of sense.
What I like about this book is that for a long time I have known a lot of things were wrong, but I didn't understand how it all held together.
Jones highlights the role of accountancy firms, lobbyists and the media. They are the glue which weld business to Westminster.
A job well done.